The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-20
Tobacco and Iinnar.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis journal.
In the Journals column of minor Mention"
occurs this: "The growing prevalence of cigar
cite smoking among the young men and boys of
to-day is matter of serious concern. Aside
from its foolishness, flthiness and expensive
ress, it is positively injurious" which is all la
mentally trae. again: If it becomes a national
habit among the young it will affect the national
physique and character" Has it not already
done that's Are there not already untold thou
sands Of the people of our nation who plainly
show by their physique, the terrible effects the
use Of tobacco in its various forms has had
upon them; that it has enervated their body and
minds to alarming extent Let US traverse
the streets of city, enter the work shops, and
all the haunts of the laborng classes especially:
look into their homes and see father and mother
with the cigar, pipe or quid, or all alternately
in their mouths from early morn till the last
thing before retiring at night, and all this in the
presence of the young men and boys" and girls,
too. In those travels shall we not see the same
father of those men and boys perambuating the
streets, industriously making way with the weed
in some form, and with all his might and in
all degrees of unnerved mind and body. to the
extent often, in the aged, of STOPPING, stagger-
ing In very weakness OF physical body aud IN
every feature, with the delineaments of the
poison marked upon theml In the shops, and
among all the industrial pursuits shall we not
see the same use of it by thousands of our bread
winners, fathers of those young men and boys9
Then let US take look into the offices of our
professional citizens into their studies-even
into the studies OF our ministers of the gospel,
their homes, and before their young men
and boys, and what shall we see,
but, too very too often, the cigar
and the atmosphere in the room blne
with its smokel 1t was recently published that
minister of the Gospel in New York city died
from the use of tobacco-powerless to break him
self from the habit / have personal acauant-
ance with tscores, both men and women who
are as physically aud mentally wrecked by the
use of tobacco as are others by the use of strong
drinks. Admitting the fact that the use of to-
bacco is more injurious to young than old peo-
pie. it is equally the fact that most old people
suffered the injury from it while young: and
they see it, should feel it all the more
important to induce the young to avoid
the calamity that has upon them,
and, which they can do more certainly. by lead
ing the way to that reform by their own absti-
they themselves refuse to walk in. Can mod
crate drnker hope to reform his drunken
neighbor by advising him TO absta while TAX
Ing his own dramsi Then. if smoking is fool
ishness, filthy. expensive and positively in
furious to his fellow man-conseuuently sinful,
according to Gods word-has the preacher who
INDUCES In that habit more hope TO reform him
than that moderate drinker has his drunken
neighbour Has such preacher declared the
whole counsel of God" when, in proclaim
ing against the sin Of using Intoxicating
drinks. he has emitted the equally sinfulness--
maybe OF smaller macnitude--of the tobacco
hapit In fact are We not all preachers so far
a. our duty to our fellow man is concerned, to